Cone, aware of the American public’s low recognition (34 percent) of what “fair trade” means, decided it was time to publicize Green Mountain Coffee’s strong support of fair trade in the coffee industry. Additionally, the agency sought to piggyback more brand recognition for Green Mountain Coffee on this determined effort to raise U.S. public awareness of fair trade in coffee.

Cone hired Kelly Clarkson of “American Idol” fame. It sent her into the mountains of Peru to see firsthand what blessings fair trade had brought to the coffee farmers there.

Cone and Green Mountain shot two videos of Clarkson in Peru, singing, talking with coffee farmers and their families, and learning from them what fair trade in action means. Clarkson talked to the videos’ viewers about her passionate support of fair trade in coffee.

Cone launched a huge campaign in the U.S. to bring Clarkson’s pilgrimage and conversion to fair trade to her tens of millions of coffee-drinking fans in America:

In 2012, it had announced Green Mountain Coffee as the world’s largest buyer of fair trade coffee.

It lined up an exclusive with People.com to break news of the 2013 campaign prelaunch.

It hosted a Clarkson concert at the Highline Ballroom in New York City for 250 attendees and 50 top media outlets. Clarkson discussed what she had learned about fair trade during her trip. The concert was webcast on Facebook.

Clarkson’s social media channels further spread the word about fair trade.